Brick-machine.



'J. W. MOLTZ.

BRICK MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED MAYS, 1912. 1,074,638, Patented Oct. 7', 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 7 J0 e JV/Ma'llz,

Inventor Attorneys J. W. MOLTZ.

BRICK MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3, 1912.

1,074,638, 7 Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JWMa/ZZ,

Witnesses Inventor V Attorney;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WATSON MOLTZ, or wnrsoiv'rown, PEmvsYLvANrA.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1 Application filed Kay 3, 1912. Serial No. 684,806.

BRICK-MACHINE.

Patented0ct."7,1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. MOLTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vatsontown, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvanimhave invented a new and useful Brick-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention aims to-provide, in a machine for shaping fictile material, or for otherwise handling the same, means whereby to charge the fictile material and the water therein positively, water in the material will be drawn toward a negatively charged member along which the material passes, thereby effecting a lubrication of the material.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the invention in longitudinal section, the circuit being shown diagrammatically; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan, a portion of the circuit being shown; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modification; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 54-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings there is shown a'barrel 1 which may be of any construction, the same being fastened with a lateral flange 2. A tapered die 3 is shown, provided with a reduced mouth 4, the mouth 4 being of rectangular form, presupposing that the structure is employed in the fashioning of bricks. The die 3 is equipped with a. flange 5. Interposed between the flanges 2 and 5 is a ring 6 which is of conducting material. Insulating material 7 is interposed between the ring 6 and the flanges 2 and 5. Securing elements 8 pass through the flanges 2 and 5, through the ring 6 and through the insulating material 7. The securing elements 8 are insulated as at 9, from-the parts through which they pass. Commonly, the fictile. material is thrust downwardly through the barrel 1, into the die 3, and out of the mouth 4, in the form of a ribbon, by means of an auger 10 mounted to rotate in so that the the barrel i.- The ring 6 is provided with binding posts 11 and there are binding posts 12 upon the mouth 4 of the die 3, the binding posts 12 being ordinarily located at the corners of the mouth 4, resupposing that the mouth 4 is of rectangu ar contour.

' Although the machine has been described above in detail, it will be understood that the precise form taken by the machine may be varied greatly, depending upon the nature of the product, without jeopardizing the utility of the invention-as will be understood readily when the operation of the structure is made manifest.

The numeral 14 indicates a source of electrical energy, one side of the source being connected with the ring 6 and the other side of the source being connected -with the die 3. In the present instance, a

conductor 15 leads from one side of the source 14 to one of the binding posts 11 upon the ring 6. If desired, a conductor 16 may be branched ofl'. from the conductor 15, the conductor 16 passing to the other binding post 11, the posts 11 being ordinarily disposed diametrically opposite to each other. From the other side of the source 14 leads a conductor 17 which, if desired, may diverge into branches 18 connected with the binding posts 12 which are carried by the corners of the mouth 4 of the die 3. There are binding posts 25 upon the barrel 1 and upon the die 3, these. posts receiving a conductor 26, into which is interposed a resistance, which may be a rheostat 27 In practical operation, the current will flow from the generator 14 through the conductors 15 and 16 to the ring 6 thus charging the ring 6 positively. When the fictile material is advanced through the barrel 1 and through the die 3 by the action of the auger 10, material will come in contact with the ring 6, the material and the water in the material being charged positively. The water in the material will be thus drawn outwardly toward the die 3 which is connected with the negative side of the source 14. Consequently, the water which is within the material will serve to lubricate the mate rial at its outer surface, as the material passes through the die 3 and through the mouth 4 thereof. 7

From the foregoing operation it will be evident that any lubricatlon of the material will be entirely unnecessary, the moist material beingplaced in the barrel 1, where-' upon the parts 6 and 3 will co-act to cause the water to appear upon the outer surface of the material, for the purpose hereinbefore 'set forth.

Owing to the fact that the securing elements 8 are insulated from the barrel 1 and from the die 3, the current will flow from the ring 6 into the material and by way of the barrel 1 and the conductor 26 to the die 3, the resistance 27 serving to choke back the current and to effect the most copious lubrication in the die 3.

'Gwing to the fact that the water is drawn to the surface of the fictile material, the surface of the material is rendered continuous and perfect, there being no irregularities in the surface ofthe product, due to the drag of the barrel 1 and of the die 3. Since the use of oil is avoided, the surface of the finished product is left in such a condition that it will bond readily, the deleterious effect of oil upon the surface of a fictile product being common and well known. Since the Water is drawn from the center of the mass, the same will be devoid of interstices in its interior. The operation not only lubricates the material, but, as well, renders it solid and compact from its center to its periphery.

In Figs. at and 5, a modified form of the invention is shown. The device shown in Figs. 4 and 5 consists of a barrel 28 in which operates-the auger 29. A contact terminal 30 is mounted in the barrel 28 and is insulated therefrom as indicated at 31. Electrically connected with the barrel 28 is a binding post 32 receiving one end of a conductor 33 which is attached to the negative side of a generator 34. From the positive side of the generator 34: leads a conductor 36 which is connected to the contact terminal 30. As will be understood readily, when the fictile material passes through the barrel 28, the material will be positively charged generator, and means being provided forpositively charging the material.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a

continuous support for fictile material, comprising a barrel and die; and an element carried by the support and insulated therefrom; said element being engageable by the fictile material while the material is traversing the support; and an electrical circuit of which said element and the die constitute terminals.

2. In a device of the class described, a continuous support for fictile material, comprising a barrel and a'die; an element carried by the support and insulated from the support, said element being engageable by the fictile material while the same is traversing the support; an electrical circuit of which said element and the die constitute terminals; a connection extending between the barrel and the die and independent of the insulated element; and a variable resistance interposed in the connection.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

SELINA WILLSON, J. P. ToMLIN. 

